Read on to learn why workers switch jobs, why we visited every gas station in North and South Carolina, and why I’m grateful for moments that make me recognize our progress.
Workforce Poll
For this week’s poll, I asked the following question:
“Have you changed jobs in the past two years?”
I followed with, “If so, why?” Here are some of the top answers:
- Escape from employer politics.
- Better pay. (50+ responses for this one…)
- Wanted to stop traveling/avoid relocation.
- New marriage or family requiring more time at home.
- Lack of opportunity and desire for further growth. (Many responses…)
- Poor treatment. Not feeling valued.
- Bad leadership.
- Desire to work somewhere that would teach and train.
- Started a business.
- The company was bought out, and the culture changed.
And here are a few that are very well put:
- “My kids seeing me unhappy every day going to work just wasn’t worth the money.”
- “Wanted more time off over money…”
- “More work-life balance. It was not an easy decision as I think highly of the company I left.”
Weekly Update
Did we travel this week? Travel we did…
To produce additional YouTube vlog episodes to educate people about the Dirt World, we visited six companies between South and North Carolina.
I have a sweet spot for the Carolinas as they were the first two states I did my first paid work in when I began BuildWitt. The first company was Bellwether Forest Products, so naturally, that's where we started this week.
After four cities, 1,200 miles of driving, and countless stops at some of the best and worst gas stations the south has to offer, we recorded six vlogs featuring the following companies:
- Two logging operations with Bellwether Forest Products
- Two demolition projects with Carolina Wrecking
- One project with Contour Mining and Construction
- Gregory Poole Equipment's main shop and a key customer site where they manufacture wood pellets for power production in Europe.
- My friend LetsDig18's site. He's big on YouTube.
- 28 Million CY NC mega-site with Ames Construction.
- One project and the HGC Academy with Hoopaugh Grading Company
To see forestry, demolition, mass excavation, grading, equipment shops, and wood pellet production in the same week was a treat. But the coolest place we visited all week was Hoopaugh's Academy.
While many contractors complain about the labor challenge, Hoopaugh is playing aggressively by heavily investing in its workforce. A video about the facility is coming soon, but in the meantime, here's some additional info: HOOPAUGH ACADEMY.
Business Lesson Learned
As a 27-year-old entrepreneur, balancing the constant desire for more with an appreciation for the present is tricky.
If my goal were to build BuildWitt into a profitable 8-figure niche marketing business, we'd be well on the way, and perhaps it would be easier for me to smell the roses.
But that's not the goal… we aim to improve an entire and foundational industry—the Dirt World. While we've made progress, there are likely decades of work ahead.
My head's typically down, but every once in a while, something reminds me of how far we've come.
In 2018, Matt Moldenhauer of Bellwether Forest Products paid me $2,000 (insane at the time) to photograph Bellwether's people and operations. He was a young guy trying to grasp the forestry industry, and I was a young guy trying to start a business.
He commuted across the country weekly to Columbia, South Carolina, to run the operation. I hitched a ride with him from Charlotte and crashed in the spare bedroom of his apartment. We had dinner at a small Mexican restaurant within walking distance in town and shared our ideas for the future…
Fast forward over four years later, and Matt's on his way to becoming one of the largest logging operations in South Carolina while I've scaled from myself to a team of eighty people.
After visiting some of Bellwether's operations, I had dinner the other night with Matt. We made a brief mention of how far we've both come. While most people don't understand the messed-up but gratifying path we're on, we can at least relate to one another.
I savor the moments that remind me how far we've come, however big or small they are.
Podcast
Continuing to beat the suicide awareness drum in September, I spoke with my friend Michelle Walker of SSC Underground and the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
The more we can normalize mental health in the construction industry, the closer we can get to removing ourselves from the top industries at risk for suicide. While a heavy topic, Michelle always does a wonderful job navigating it in such a practical manner.
Vlog
Tune into this week’s vlog episode where I visit Mackay Contracting working on what might be the most beautiful job site I’ve ever seen… Earthmoving in the Canadian Rockies ain’t bad!
